Dying in Love, for Love (completed new trilogy)
by VQ
Summary: I wouldn't want to give it away, but I have to .... -Piper
1. Crying

Piper touched her husband's cheek gently, careful not to touch the bruise stretched across it. A single tear rolled down her own cheek, followed my others alternating between the two. Leo raised his hand weakly and gripped Piper's fingers.  
  
"Isn't there anything I could do?" Piper asked, brushing a few strands of blonde of Leo's forehead. Pain reflected onto his face briefly, and Piper instantly regretted questioning her helplessness.  
  
"I." Leo began. Piper finished his sentence in her mind with a painstaking "don't know". She studied his face with renewed hope when he didn't complete his sentence. Ideas blazed through Leo's head, but he ended dissing all of them.  
  
"I love you, Piper," Leo whispered. Piper's heart plummeted. Leo had given up hope, succumbed to the fact that the poison in him will kill him. Piper knew it was so, but she wanted to find a cure for him. Piper squeezed his hand reassuringly.  
  
"I love you too," Piper replied. Leo smiled softly and closed his eyes. Piper felt his hand relax under her grip. Her heart started to race in panic and fear. She lifted his limp hand and pressed two fingers to his wrist.  
  
"Leo," Piper squeaked as fresh tears appeared. Her heart slowed as a faint pulse throbbed under her fingers. She gulped down her remaining tears and told herself he was only unconscious.  
  
"I'll do anything to bring you back," Piper promised her husband and placed his hand at his side. She hurried up to the attic, telling herself that the book of shadows would have an answer. It always did.  
  
Piper swung the attic door open and billowed in. She grabbed the ancient tome and flipped the leather cover. When she first glimpsed the pages, memories popped in her mind - of her first days as a witch.  
  
Piper used to wish that she wasn't a witch. But now, at the face of death, she admitted the truth to herself - the truth she had kept buried in the depth of her heart and with Leo.  
  
"I want to remain a witch, to die a witch." Piper's brave voice rang through the wooden attic. Being a witch had brought her Leo, and being a witch would save Leo too. Piper abandoned her thoughts and continued to browse the book.  
  
"To summon a spell-demon," Piper read aloud. She gulped and read on. A spell-demon was not dangerous, but very old. Each spell demon carried ancient spells, usually involving sacrificing, death or otherwise.  
  
Piper tapped the page, and knew what she had to do. 


	2. Calling

Come to me, ye ancient one  
  
Come to me with your spells  
  
Come to me, ye ancient one  
  
Lose if ye dwells  
  
Piper held her breath. She stared at the wide circle she had drawn, and willed the spell-demon to appear. As if on cue, a blue mist fogged the attic. It disappeared in an instant, and a wrinkled creature appeared in its place.  
  
"I need a spell to overcome death," Piper spoke out loud, fighting the urge to vanquish the alien. The demon stared at her, sizing her up. It didn't make a move to step out of its circle, and Piper didn't step out of hers.  
  
"It will require your death," the spell-demon stated simply and briefly. His (or her, she didn't know) voice came out in a croak, but held authority and experience. Piper nodded calmly, accepting the demon's terms. There had to be reason it was a demon.  
  
"Good luck," the demon said without expression as it snapped his or her fingers. A yellowed parchment appeared in Piper's grasp. She stared down at it, tears pricking her eyes. The demon nodded and swept out in an instant of blue mist. 


	3. Reflecting

Piper held the parchment in one trembling hand, the other resting on Leo's cheek. Her breath was taken in shaky gulps, her motion slow. She wished to turn back time, and her mind reeled back to a few hours ago.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Piper!" Prue called out warningly. Piper's hands flew up and froze the metal bar flying towards her. She gestured again and the metal bar exploded immediately. She glared at the demon across her, daring him to try his trick again.  
  
"You will not win," the demon vowed. Piper gulped. She chanced a glance at her oldest sister. Prudence Halliwell held the demon with a cool stare. Piper's confidence surged and she collected her wits.  
  
"Wanna see about that?" Phoebe challenged, stepping up to stand in line with her sisters. The demon was distracted with Phoebe for an instant, and Piper took a cue to send an explosion to him. The demon ducked, and the power hit a glass vase instead.  
  
"You will pay," the demon growled. He conjured a metal spike and sent it towards Phoebe. Prue pushed it away from her sister and rammed it into the demon instead. The demon shrieked, and began to writhe as Leo orbed in.  
  
"I will have my revenge!" the demon yelped.  
  
"Where? In hell?" Piper teased.  
  
"No," the demon smiled sinisterly. "Now!" He raised one finger weakly and aimed at Leo - and sent a poison blast, the fatal Darklighter poison each Whitelighter feared. Time seemed to slow for Piper. She pumped her legs, trying to run as fast as possible.  
  
It was too late. The blast hit Leo, and the demon disappeared. Leo slumped onto the floor, and time seemed to zoom past again. Prue was still, but on Phoebe's urge, transferred Leo onto the beige couch in the living room.  
  
"Piper." Phoebe began in her comforting voice.  
  
"Go." Piper interrupted, bent over Leo.  
  
"Piper, dear." Phoebe tried again.  
  
"GO! Just GO!" Piper screamed. She lost control at that moment. Everything that was in the living room exploded into smithereens. The whole room was frozen unconsciously before the bits could fall onto the floor.  
  
Prue didn't speak, but sent her magic to weave through Piper's. All the exploded items fell to the floor in one sweep. Piper seemed to be immune to everything. She was whispering to Leo, and Leo was groaning back.  
  
"Go." Piper cried. Phoebe cast a dark look at Prue and stepped out of the house gingerly. A tear slid down Prue's cheek. She was helpless, knowing that she couldn't help and be in control anymore. She stepped out and followed her sister.  
  
End Flashback 


	4. Sacrificing

"I love you, I love my sisters, I love being a witch. I love being one of the Charmed Ones, and having the Power of Three. I wouldn't want to give it away, but I have to . for you, I'll do everything," Piper swore, her hand still caressing Leo's cheek.  
  
"I don't care about defeating the bloody warlocks and demons, you hear that? I want my husband back! And I know you're not going to do anything about it! I don't care any more! Hear that? No more!" Piper shouted, hoping the Elders would hear.  
  
Piper read through the tear-blotched parchment once more. Her hand tightened around the knife she held in her hand. With one swift move, she plunged the knife into Leo's heart. Blood spilled over the clean couch, turning in crimson at first touch.  
  
"Leo," Piper whispered softly. She pulled the curved dagger out. She took a deep breath and began the spell.  
  
My blood on yours  
  
Give you strength  
  
Open life doors  
  
Bring you back  
  
Piper paused and positioned the dagger above her wrist. She made a clean slit on a wrist. Blood spilled out and Piper felt herself getting weaker slowly. She pressed her wrist over Leo's blood.  
  
I trade my soul  
  
Change life places  
  
Achieve my goal  
  
Bring you back  
  
At this, Piper felt a tug. She glanced down at the parchment. It had an extension to it, to make sure the exchange was smooth. She decided to go for it.  
  
Love is stronger  
  
Power above all  
  
My love shall succeed  
  
And make the call  
  
Trade my life  
  
Trade my soul  
  
Trade my blood  
  
To achieve my goal  
  
When she had uttered the last word, Leo's eyes darted open.  
  
"Piper?" Leo asked, not comprehending his return. Piper nodded and swept her lips against his. In the next second, she fell limp against his arms, dead.  
  
"Piper!" Leo cried. He fingered the damp parchment, and realised with a pang what she had done. sacrificed herself. 


	5. Author's Note

Copyright Status: All characters are copyright Spelling. The demon mentioned is purely of my imagination. All spells and this story are copyright to myself.  
  
Story Copying Status: If you want to archive my story, or take it for your site, please email me first. I expect a link to my email, and/or to this story.  
  
Spell Copying Status: If you want to taken any of my spells, or want me to write one of your stories, please email me. I expect a link to my email, and/or to this story.  
  
Review Status: Please do review. I, like every other fanfic author, live for the reviews. They inspire me to write.  
  
Sequel Status: If you want me to write a sequel, please leave a message in the reviews. I will definitely come up with an idea.  
  
Revival Status: If you want me to write an interlude/AU where Piper revives, please leave a message in the reviews. I will add to this mini- series.  
  
Thank you,  
  
VQ 


End file.
